Wind vane steering, anchor lockers and gas storage

[westward]

I would like to mount wind vane steering on my Bavaria 32 cruiser for long distance cruising.

It has the wide swim platform and I think it is not practical to mount an offset wind vane; with the wide transom, the rudder would be pulled out of the water.

I don't think it is practical to mount a single side offset frame, as the offset would be too big and would not be strong enough.

I think the only solution would be to build a big frame across the stern consisting of two solid removable tubes then hang the wind vane steering off that. When I was coastal or inter-island cruising I would take it off. For long crossings, I would sacrifice the swim platform (which is unusable anyway).

Has anyone done a similar mod or had similar ideas?

I also find the front anchor locker ridiculously small. With 50m of chain in it, it is completely full. To add a warp, I would have to store it on deck or somehow shackle it on to the chain after having dropped the chain part and pulled the chain out of the Quick winch (not very practical to take back up one stormy night).

I have considered sacrificing the front cabin and cutting it partly into storage and a big anchor locker. Has anyone done this?

I would also like to add a stern chain locker in the over-spacious rear port storage. The Bavaria 32 also has, annoyingly, only one on deck storage space for a gas bottle. I would also like at the same time to add storage for a second bottle.

I can see someone saying, sell your Bavaria 32 and buy a different boat. That would be a reasonable but not a constructive comment.

[stevem]

Hydro vane wind vanes can be mounted offset. look on their website and contact them. They will forward you pics of installations for your model boat. They are expensive but work very well. I sailed a Nicholson 35 from river Medway to Ramsgate in light winds and the Hydrovane worked really well.

As to the storage for gas bottles I agree, its really poor.

[Monique]

Other opinion.

Rather than add all the weight, I would think twin autopilots would weigh less and you would not have the hassle of that hardware hanging off the stern.

I intend a circumnavigation; 2 autopilots will be fitted.  One = hydraulic.  Two = electric.

Plan electrics accordingly.

[MIA]

I moved my gas bottle into the port locker and cut a vent low down, then changed the regulator to the 4.5 Kg bottle. keep the spare bottle in there as well

[westward]

How do you stop gas draining into the boat? The locker is not watertight and water (or gas) which gets into it would drain into the boat. Might as well keep the bottle inside the boat. This is what I'm doing at the moment which is pretty risky.

[westward]

Monique. I think you are on the right track there. The electric system works when a wind vane system would not; very light fluky weather for instance. Do you intend to duplicate the electronics as well? I carry a spare electric drive unit but have no backup if I blow up the electronics.

[Sweet As]

What are the options for the safe storage of a spare gas bottle? Refiling the single bottle before it runs out isn't very efficient. I don't really want to hang one on the pushpit. i was wondering whether a small one may fit forward and up in the anchor locker on a Bav36 in the 'dead space' immediately below the bow roller. It already has drains at the bottom and is completely seperate from the cabin. Has anybody done this?

[westward]

Other opinion.

Rather than add all the weight, I would think twin autopilots would weigh less and you would not have the hassle of that hardware hanging off the stern.

I intend a circumnavigation; 2 autopilots will be fitted.  One = hydraulic.  Two = electric.

Plan electrics accordingly.

On the Bavaria 32 the auto pilot is an electric rotary actuator with a chain drive. There is of course no provision for a linear actuator electric or hydraulic. There is very little space to fit a linear actuator. I would be interested to know what model of Bavaria you are fitting the pilots to and whether it already has a linear or a rotary type actuator.

[stevem]

Something to consider when thinking of elecrical auto pilots v windvanes is that the stronger the wind blows the better a wind vane works and the harder it is for the autopilot.
Also does your autopilot have a setting that will steer to the wind as opposed to a compass course?

My Raymarine ST5000 plus does and it it very powerful but I have seen several that are fixed on the wheel.

Also would think it easier to repair

[nornie lees]

Our spare Gas bottle is stored in anchor locker, bought a plastic bucket from £1 shop to put it in. Drilled a couple holes in the bucket and stand in bottom of locker. The chain (50m) seems happy to lay to the side and never lays on the gas bottle top. I did trim the bucket size down to the gas bottle top.

rgds Ray

[Sweet As]

Thanks Ray. I'll give it a go.